THE BOOK OF THE LANTERN. 213 



magnificent microscopes with all kinds of movements and 

 expensive attachments, and who toy with their instruments 

 rather than work with them. The second class are the 

 hard workers, who will be content so long as they possess 

 one or two good powers, and have anything in the shape 

 of a stand to hold them in position. They will accomplish 

 far more real work with a simple magnif ying-glass than one 

 of the "Brass and Glass" fraternity with his gorgeous 

 array of instruments. 



One of the most simple methods of obtaining a photo- 

 graph from a microscopic object is to use a little camera, a 

 cardboard box with a hole at the bottom to fit over the 

 microscope tube is sufficient, placed above the microscope 

 as it stands upright on a table. To simplify matters, the 

 eyepiece' of the microscope should be removed, a method of 

 procedure which I recommend in all cases. The upper part 

 of the cardboard box should be furnished with a lid on a 

 hinge, and should have a curtain of black velvet all round it, 

 to prevent any access of light. On its inner sides, half an inch 

 below the lid opening, should be glued four little pieces of 

 wood to support the focussing screen \ the same support 

 serving later on to hold the sensitive gelatine -plate in posi- 

 tion. Now let us go through the required operations. The 

 image is focussed by daylight, or lamplight, as the case 

 may be. The focussing glass is then removed, and while 

 the room is darkened the sensitive plate is inserted in its 

 place, the lid of the box shut down, and all is ready for ex- 

 posure. The time of exposure is of course a matter depend- 

 ing upon a host of circumstances to which we need not here 

 refer. The exposure having been made, the plate is de- 

 veloped in the usual manner. 



